The unspeakable: Is it best if the Flames don't make the playoffs?

With Friday night’s heartbreaking 3-2 loss to Anaheim, the Flames are now four points out of a playoff position.

“We were in a battle,” coach Brett Sutter said. “We gave up a goal with 40 seconds left . . . A two-on-five coming into your zone, we just all stood there and watched. It’s a tough way to lose a game, especially it’s big points we let get away from us.”

For good or for bad, it was former Calgary Hitman Ryan Getzlaf who was the Flames’ undoing with just 46 second left in the game.

I posted a blog on Feb. 26 asking who was to blame for the Flames’ struggles. The reaction was mixed. Thirty-five per cent blamed the top players; 31 per cent faulted the team as a whole; 20 per cent pointed the finger at Sutter and 14 per cent said Jay Feaster didn’t have what it takes. By early Saturday, more than 1,400 people had taken part in the poll — which I appreciate — so it gives you a fairly good taste of fans’ thoughts.

As an aside, a readers’ online and print poll with 1,500 respondents found only 14 per cent of people think the Flames will make the playoffs. So as tough as it is to swallow, would it be better for the Flames to fall short yet again and be forced to take stock of their shortcomings? Or would it be better to nose their way into the playoffs as a pretender and get knocked out in the first round to a team like Vancouver? Or, if they inched their way into the postseason — fingers crossed — make it all the way?

Certainly there will be heads to roll if the Flames don’t progress beyond the regular season. Leafs coach Ron Wilson is gone already in Toronto and it makes sense that the Flames would want to rebuild if they fall short yet again. Maybe that’s for the best.

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